George w



(No Model.)

G. W. KING.

Tank for theStorege of Petroleum No. 234,291I. Patented New. 9,

www@ all!" 5mm, A

Sway/afar.

UNrrE h'ra'rns GEORGE w. KING, or` GEoRGETowN,

OF .TWO-THIRDS TO, WILLIAM W.

roer', orf SAME PLAGE.

vDISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR STINOHOOMB AND JOHN J. LIGHT.

TANK FOR THE STORAGE OF PETROLEUM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,291, dated November 9, 1880.

application ined september es, 1880. (No man.) V

To all whom tt may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. KING, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Georgetown, in the District of Columbia, have iuvented certain new and useful Improvements iu Tanks for the Storage of Petroleum; and I do hereby declare that the followin gis a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to 1o which it appertains to make and use the same,

reference being had to the-accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to vessels for the storage of petroleum, and to devices for the proection of their contents from eva-poration and from re. l l

The objects of the invention are to diminish loss by evaporation and to guard against igzo nition and explosion, to which petroleum under storage is ordinarily subject, and to arrest the progress of fire if ignition should occur.

1n this invention I Vaim at securing these objects by maintaining a constant exclusion of air from the greater part of the surface of the petroleum 5 also, by preventing the confinement in juxtaposition with the petroleum of collected gas or vapor generated by the petroleum; also, by providing -an escape from 3o the body of the petroleum of the gas and vapor so generated also, by protecting the greater part of the surface of the petroleum from contact with gas and vapor floating in the atmosphere and subjecting it to a perma- 3 5 nent cooling action, thereby diminishing evaporation from the petroleum and the generation from its surface of inammable gaseous compounds; and, also, by providing for completely shutting oi' upon occasion the access of air to 4o the petroleum, the provision being vsuch that in case the petroleum catches fire the shut-ofi` will be automatically set in operation bythe ebullition of the petroleum.

The construction and operation'of my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which consist of two figures, both presenting the same vertical section of a petroleum tank supplied with my invention and having the pan in contact with the petroleum, Figure l representing the tank with the pan 5o lowered, the seal not being established, andl Fig. 2 representing the pan raised and the seal formed.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout both figures.

A is an ordinary tank for the storage of petroleum, open at the top, and havingits sides conformed to the shape of the pan B, so as not to prevent the pans moving up and down with the petroleum when aiioat upon it.

B is a pan adapted to contain water and to float upon? the surface of the petroleum in the tank, and provided with sides of even height. I construct the pan preferably ot' sheet metal and with a iiat bottom. The depth of the pan which I recommend is eighteen inches, and I prefer to make the exterior diameter of the pan about two inches less than the interior diameter of the tank. No packing is used between the sides of the pau and the tank, but 7o the space is left open to allow of the passage of vapor and to let the pan float free. The depth of the water in the pan I prefer to be two-thirds of the depth of the pan. 1t must, however, be sufficient in the part of the pan corresponding to the drooping flange a, te allow of the submersion ofthe edge of the drooping flange when the pan is raised to its extreme height.

I is 'a continuous recess extending' along 8o the upper margin of the tank-walls, closed above and openedl below, and having the margin of the-drooping iange a, which 4forms it, horizontal. y

In the drawings, the upper edge of the tankwall is represented as having been turned inward and downward, constituting the drooping iiange a and forming a rounded recess; but the recess may be constructed with straight sides, and the drooping flange, instead of be- 9o ing of one piece with the tank-wall, may consist ot a strip of metal fastened to the wall, and may meet it at an angle.

The recess P is adapted to receive the side of the pan B within it, and the drooping flange a is adapted to pass at the same time beneath 2 l v w aegee;

. the-surface of the waterlin the pan, thus forming a water-trap joint or Water-seal, as shown in Fig. 2. c

The dimensions of the recess P which l prei'er are a depth of eighteen inches and a width, 1er the most part, ot'twelve inches; but such width and depth only are necessary as will carry the drooping ange a. inside the sides of the pan B and its vedge within` the water in the pan.

The water in the pan B beingsubject to loss by evaporation, I provide for its preservation at a constant quantity, employing an ordinary automatic ball-cock, D, supplied with an extensible pipe, C. y

To facilitate the elevation at pleasure of the panB and the adjustment of its balance, 'I supply the pan with an ordinary counterpoise formed of the chains b b passing-over `the pulleys a a' and carrying the buckets b b .or

Weights b2 b2, as shown. The buckets b b may be provided with supply-pipes connected with a distant reservoir aid weighted, automatically or otherwise, with water, as occasion requires. Obviously the pan may be elevated by introducing water or oil directly into the' tank through the oil-supply o r other pipe, m, leading from a distance. These `devices for the supply of water and the elevation of the pan, when constructed of material of proper character, contribute to safety in dangerous electrical conditions of the atmosphere.

Being supported by the petroleum', the pan requires no braces. By its close contact with the petroleum evaporation incidental tothe access of air to the petroleum isprecluded. Resting upon the petroleum, it interposes a shield between it andthe inammable gases and vapors iloatin g in the atmosphere. Having its under surface shaped as described, it has no recesses in which explosive gases or vapors might collect between it and the petroleum upon which it rests; but they are al-' lowed to pass without detention to the opening at the sides. The open space between its sides and the sides of the tank allows the egress of gases generated in the petroleum. The cooling effect produced bythe evaporation of the water in the pan reduces the tendene'y of the petroleum to generate gas.

Theformation ofthe water-seal, as described, may be accomplishedby raising the pan B by means of the counterpoise-connection or the introduction of' wateror oil through the pipe These means may be resorted to to prevent ignition or to arrest the progress of re.

When re has, alreadyattacked the petroleum beneath the pan theprincipal reliance will bel upon the automatic formation of the.

seal. Under the action of the re the petroleum will expand and carry the pan upward until the water in'the pan receiwes the edge of the flange a and the formation of the seal is accomplishefh Iny Fig. 2 the seal isrepresented asformed and thepan-as pressed np,

wardby the petroleum, which is in'a state of ebullition and expansion.

The-water-seal actsnot only to exclude'the air, but as a safetyftgalve, yielding =for the egress of vapor of scient tension-and immediately recovering itself.

What I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

v1. In combination with a petroleum=tank provided with the -drooping ange-a, thewater-pan B, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with the tank A, the pan B, the extensible pipe U, and ball-cock D, all substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In combination with thc tank A, the pan -VVitnesses:

CHARLES WALTER, EDWARD R. TYLER.

`B and the chains b b, passing over the pul- 

